Spool valves are commonly used in a wide variety of applications, and typically have a spool movable within a housing to different positions along an axis in order to control fluid flow through the valve. Fluid is normally supplied to and exhausted from locations between the spool and the housing. By moving the spool with respect to the housing, fluid can be supplied to different locations between the spool and the housing, thereby changing the locations from which fluid is drawn into the valve and/or locations to which fluid is supplied by the valve.
Demand continues to increase for spool valves that are more reliable, have a longer service life, are less expensive to manufacture and install, are readily adaptable to different applications, and are well suited for a number of different operating conditions (e.g., higher fluid pressures, faster switching speeds, and the like). New spool valves and spool valve components offering any of these features would therefore be welcome in the art.